Assortment of forks
Forks were already in use in Roman times, but have since disappeared. In Byzantium they came into vogue again and Maria Agyropoulaina caused a sensation in 1004/5 by using a small gold fork in Venice. Although first condemned as pretentious, the cutlery gradually became known in the west. The fork as part of the cutlery originated in the 16th century in the higher social classes. In the 15th century, the (three-pronged) fork was still regarded as an instrument of the devil. A (two-pronged) fork was only used when cutting meat.
Most forks have three or four tines, which are slightly curved. This allows the food to be both pricked and scooped with the fork. The latter is considered uncivilized in the United Kingdom: those who adhere to etiquette stick all food, including peas, on the fork.
Louis XIV of France is known to have adhered to the ancient practice of eating with a spoon and knife.
The 19th century saw a growth in the number of spoon and fork models. Where once a single spoon and fork were set on the dinner table, the table was now set with wet fruit forks, serving forks, dessert and hors d'oeuvre forks, fish forks and so on. There are even sardine forks. The increased prosperity and large silver production made this possible.
The introduction of fish cutlery at the end of the 19th century was ignored by the British court and nobility. The British queen ate her fish with two equal forks and so followed the nobility. A fish cutlery is regarded in these circles as an indication that someone belongs to the middle class in terms of education and lifestyle. The symbolic function of fish cutlery was touched upon by Nancy Mitford in her study of behavior that is typically upper class or not upper class.
There is also a fork (often 3- pronged) intended for eating pastries, the so-called pie or pastry fork, an oyster fork, a snail fork and a lobster fork.
The meat fork is mainly used for larger pieces of meat.
Some people have a habit of damaging the forks when eating. They cut along the outer tines of the fork, making it shorter over time.
Dutch cutlery models;
The cutlery model so-called Hollands glad (Dutch smooth), is still popular. Cutlery model where the fork and spoon handle has no edge decoration and the top has a rounded handle.
Also popular is model dubble rondfilet "model double round fillet"; ornamental edge consisting of two thin grooves running parallel to the edge with which silverware and table silver in particular is decorated. Double fillet was very popular at the beginning of the nineteenth century, but also today.
Model Haags lofje; cutlery model in which the rounded thickening of the end of the handle is slightly pulled outwardly and backwards. Haags lofje has been around since the eighteenth century and is one of the most popular models.
Puntfilet; point filet, cutlery model with a tapered stem and an edge decoration consisting of a fillet edge.
The puntfilet model was designed by draftsman Hendrik Jacobus Valk, who was head of Van Kempen's design department. It is one of the still much sought-after classics. There is also a point fillet version made by Gerritsen & Van Kempen, model 2033, of which the groove continues all the way around.
We have table silver in model pearl rim, a beautiful classic design.
The 18th century cutlery were all the same length; about 20 cm long.
This changed in the course of the 19th century.
There will be a “large cutlery set” and a “small cutlery set”. A large cutlery set consists of a spoon with a matching fork that is about 20-22 cm long. This was used with the hot meal. A small cutlery set is used for sandwiches or desserts; spoon with a matching three tined fork, that is about 18 – 19.5 cm long. With the explosion of cutlery for every possible specific use at the end of the 19th century; children's cutlery, fruit cutlery, etc
Fruit cutlery set. This set is particularly recognisable because of the size: the knife is about 17 cm long, and the fork ( three tines) only about 15 cm. A mini silver cutlery set. This fruit cutlery set was made by the Dutch silver factory Gerritsen and van Kempen in Zeist. The 2nd grade silver handles are in the Art Deco model "203", with a hammered handle that ends in a daisy. The teeth of the fork and the blade of the knife are made of stainless steel. Fruit cutlery was almost never completely made of silver because fruit acids can stain silver.
https://designmuseum.nl/derde-verdiepin ... an-bestek/
Sources used;
Herrin, Judith (2007) Byzantium: The Surprising Life of a Medieval Empire, p. 203. Princeton: Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-0-691-13151-1.
Noblesse Oblige (1956), OCLC 752301314
Janjaap Luijt Het zilver lexicon
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